Let Me Count The Ways
by Jesus.Lives
Summary: Zuko finds that he finds it much easier to hate than to love... kinda a 10 things I hate about you bittersweet fluffy pieceRated T... ohhhh.... ONESHOT


**This is for my fellow Toko fans and members of Toko/Zuph Addictions Annonymous and my fellow trio of religious understanding :P and Toph supporters:**

**Hotspur - the best Toko writer out there.**

**Jonnoda - very humerous Kataang/Toph writer, who always makes me laugh. Go the cactus juice.**

**CyanIllusions - who always kills of Toph - but still gives us the Toko action we want.**

**Denison - who always reviews - yay! and is another big Toko fan.**

**Electronic Sivvey - who writes great oneshots that always send a chill down my spine.**

**Mental Hospital Escapee - a new Toko fan.**

**Yelulhchicken - the weirdest name, and another new Toko fan. :D**

**Firework - seemingly undecided!**

**Lionessmon - faithful Toko fan, who is keeping me on my back about writing the wedding. :P**

**P.M Hall - sweet reviewer. awwww...**

**stormofinsanity - good writer, who I much enjoy reading. I think is also a good artist as well (I've done some snooping)**

**DarkerSpirit - loved Toko before me. :D must have a sixth sense about these things... ;)**

**Stimmie - also likes the Toko.**

_**If I've forgotten anyone : REVIEW and remind me.**_

_**If we all pitch in together, we might own Avatar and then we could just fast forward to the future where Zuko and Toph actually will be together. Eh, what am I talking about? It's a pipe dream.**_

**_--------------------_**

The Avatar and his merry gaang have helped him clean up the Fire Nation after the seige and the horrors ending the war, but there was always someone's company that got under his skin...

So Zuko ponders about...

What he hates about **her.**

**(yeah, taken from 10 things I hate about you. Except it's not just ten things... It's over 40. Zuko could just go on...)**

**--------------------**

1.

He hated the way she automatically could tell what was wrong with his choices for the throne. The way she had no trouble saying it bluntly and it made him angry that she brought to light faults in others he tried to ignore so he could just go on with his life and be content.

2.

He hated that she dressed like a Beifong, yet acted like a vigilante. Like Jet did. She never made him feel bad for being Blue Spirit, always making him believe that he had a right to do what he did... like she understood him...

3.

He hated the way when he was looking at someone else, another girl, that she would break his attention by telling a story or making a joke and never just let him stare.

4.

He hated the way she made him snort with laughter when she told stories of Aang in a dress or the jokes that her and Sokka used to pull.

5.

He hated the way that when she kissed him all her insecurities about being rejected by Sokka came out into the open, even though she'd never talk about it.

6.

He hated the way that she could be sympathetic to his inadequacy being beaten by Aang, cause she'd been there too, a number of times. Of course she was at the stage where she could joke about it, but he wasn't ready for that yet.

7.

He hated how she nurtured his bruised ego and then turn around the next minute and bruised it more. He knew that Iroh would have liked that about her.

8.

He hated how she'd insist on coming with him when he visited the twin graves of Iroh and Lu Ten, but also that she'd respect his wishes to be alone when he went to visit that of his mother's.

9.

He hated the fact that she would always share with him, even when he didn't ask her to.

10.

He hated the way she made him feel for not standing up to his father when he was much younger, like she did with hers.

11.

He hated it more that she made him feel worthy for eventually doing this before the end of the war.

12.

He hated the fact that he wanted to feel worthy to the blind earth nation girl, when he shouldn't have to prove his worth to anyone.

13.

He hated the way that she'd reinforce that he deserved the fire nation throne and not his sister. That he did more for his nation than his sister ever could. And even though Katara and Aang said it too, it always sounded best coming from her "if you disagree with me, i'll make you eat dirt" voice.

14.

He hated that she could have all the money and influence she could ever want, but she didn't take it.

15.

He hated it more that she made him feel bad for wanting it himself.

16.

He hated how she would make herself little earthen balls of light to follow her around a room, enjoying the warmth of the fire on her face at all times. She had taken to fire like a duck to water, yet he still didn't have the slightest understanding of earth.

17.

He hated how she used fire nation palace guards to the disposal of her every whim and the way she acted innocent when he questioned her about it.

18.

He hated the gross jokes she'd make about the guard's body odor, but hated it even more that usually made him grin in amusement.

19.

He hated how she would only really kiss him to get the advantage up on him and how he didn't care anyway, he secretly liked the game.

20.

He hated how she encouraged him to have ulterior motives for kissing her too.

21.

He hated the way that she touched him, as if she had a right to and even when he stopped her she'd go and do it again.

22.

He hated her persistance to get what she wanted, but knew if it wasn't for that he would never have what he wanted.

23.

He hated the way her parent's didn't want him with her daughter and that neither of them cared less to respect her parents wishes.

24.

He hated that his mother would have wanted someone more lady like for him, but Iroh would have called her the perfect lady and would have encouraged him to stay with a girl with bite.

25.

He hated that he would tell him off for being rude and "unlady' like, and then she would turn it around on him - not accepting the fact that the fire lord had the right to be A. rude and B. definately unlady like.

26.

He hated how, if they played a game or had a friendly competition at anything - she would smile smugly for hours if she won, gloating continuously. And if she lost, she would storm around angrily. He hated more how this reminded him of someone else he knew.

27.

He hated the way she let him take her parents money offer for peace between nations; to fix the firenation after the damage done at the eclipse and that she didn't hold it against him that he couldn't support his own people in their time of need.

28.

He hated that she stuck around for so long, with Aang, Katara and Sokka; offering to fix everything herself when it wasn't her duty.

29.

He hated the way she'd use her bending with his, stating that fire complemented earth and then walk around the fire nation like she belonged there.

30.

He hated the way that she made friends for herself showing off her earthbending tricks and telling humerous stories about the Avatar, and how people in the fire nation seemed to like her more than they liked him.

31.

He hated how her kisses made him think about doing things he shouldn't with a young teenage girl that was four years his junior.

32.

He hated more that she suggested it anyway.

33.

He hated that he could have anybody if he wanted too, but she insulted all his other prospects and even more that she'd tease him like this and not kiss him back when he finally caved to her manipulative strategies.

34.

He hated the way that she joked that he wasn't funny. But hated it even more that it was true, no matter how much he tried to prove it wasn't, every joke he told would always backfire horribly and she'd comfort him for trying anyway.

35.

He hated that she'd even had her first crush on that dope from the water tribe, as an insult to his very pride for wanting her for himself.

36.

He hated the goosebumps he gave her, as though he had no control over his own body. He told himself that it was just because she was blind. She knew how to feel things. But he hated how she always noticed and kept that knowing smile on her face, as though she had the control over the situation.

37.

He hated how when he said he was "lucky to be born" she would reach out for his hand and say she was too. She'd twist his words and worst of all, he couldn't disagree when he compared himself and his working organs sometimes to hers. She made him feel like she meant that she was lucky to have him and be alive with him. Even though he reasoned that it had to be a lie.

38.

He hated how she always twisted his words and laugh if he got angry or tried to backtrack.

39.

He hated that she would never let him get away with moping.but then he liked that she knew when the time was to mope. She was tough on him, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

40.

He hated it that he told himself she wasn't attractive. She was feral. Unworthy. But then she would get dressed up for a Beifong arrangement and it would all go out the window. Pearls, a gown, hair up. And she acted like the dignified lady she was brought up to be.

41.

He hated the enjoyment he got from watching her beat guys 3 times the size of her to a pulp. Then if she sensed him watching would ask if he wanted a try. She always seemed to be challenging her to a fight.

42.

He hated the way the former Blind Bandit was everything he was and more. She could make a better leader. She was more fun. She hid her insecurities better. But not only that, she rarely challenged his authority unless she wanted to get a rise out of him for a reason. She made him feel like he was fit to be fire lord.

43.

He hated the way she was brute and forthright. Things didn't always feel equal...

------

Though he liked the way that she was innocent. Touched by no one else, and understanding of how the fire lord deserved nothing less.

44.

Most of all, he hated the way there was no one else.

Her black hair would fall over her unseeing eyes and her grin would light up everything around him, and when that happened all the things he hated about her disappeared...

There was only love.

Even though it was so much easier to hate.


End file.
